1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for measuring unsteady pressures inside a pipe; and more particularly to an apparatus for measuring the same using a piezocable based sensor disposed on an outer surface of the pipe.
2. Background
A fluid flow process (flow process) includes any process that involves the flow of fluid through pipe, ducts, or other conduits, as well as through fluid control devices such as pumps, valves, orifices, heat exchangers, and the like. Flow processes are found in many different industries such as the oil and gas industry, refining, food and beverage industry, chemical and petrochemical industry, pulp and paper industry, power generation, pharmaceutical industry, and water and wastewater treatment industry. The fluid within the flow process may be a single phase fluid (e.g., gas, liquid or liquid/liquid mixture) and/or a multi-phase mixture (e.g. paper and pulp slurries or other solid/liquid mixtures). The multi-phase mixture may be a two-phase liquid/gas mixture, a solid/gas mixture or a solid/liquid mixture, gas entrained liquid or a three-phase mixture.
Various sensing technologies exist for measuring various physical parameters of single and/or multiphase fluids in an industrial flow process. Such physical parameters include, for example, volumetric flow rate, composition, consistency, density, and mass flow rate. Problematically, many sensors must be placed in contact with the fluid and, as a result, cannot be installed, moved or otherwise reconfigured without shutting down a portion of the flow process to install the sensors.
Various non-intrusive sensors have been developed, which are attached to the surface of the pipe. Such sensors include, for example, the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver found in ultrasonic flow meters. While ultrasonic flow meters perform well for certain applications, they are generally limited to use with certain fluid types and/or temperatures. Moreover, precise alignment of the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver pair is required, which may not lend itself to instrument portability and adaptability to different pipe sizes.
In some cases, sensors are subjected to severe environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, water spray, precipitation, unintended contact, and the like. Where sensors are used in such conditions, they must be robustly designed to withstand these conditions while maintaining accuracy.
Thus, there remains a need for a robust, non-invasive sensor for measuring various parameters of single and/or multiphase fluids in an industrial flow process that is easily installed and which may be adaptable to different pipe sizes.